


Puppy Love

by toastedtofu



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Aged-Up Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dialogue Heavy, Dogs, Established Relationship, First Fan Fiction, Fluff, I love feedback, M/M, Mild Blood, One Shot, they are teens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:55:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25957093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toastedtofu/pseuds/toastedtofu
Summary: In which Killua is jealous of a puppy.
Relationships: Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck
Comments: 6
Kudos: 109





	Puppy Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, hmu if you want to follow my trash blog on tumblr. It's mainly killugon fanart. Sorry if this formating is weird, I don't know what I'm doing. Also, this is a bit ooc.

Killua hadn’t seen Gon in almost three weeks, and quite frankly, he was getting desperate. Gon had set a goal to finish his cramming for upcoming standardized tests which meant Killua couldn’t be hanging over his shoulder or “distracting him” as Mito had put it. Killua didn’t think he was such a huge distraction. Sure, they’d take lots of breaks and play a video game or two, but that was common, right? Apparently Mito did not agree. Gon and her had even gotten into a back forth in their native tongue, leaving Killua lost as they traded unfamiliar phrases back and forth, head spinning, trying to pick up what little words he knew. Eventually, Gon gave in, as he always does. After the somewhat awkward dinner, Killua approached Mito at the kitchen counter and gave her the contact information for a tutor Illumi had been seeing for his own tests. A sheepish look had spread across his face.  
“I, uh, I want Gon to do well, too,” he mumbled. He didn’t dare look Mito in the eye. That is, until he heard her let out an unrestrained giggle.  
“I know you do, Killua,” she said, muffling her giggle. “Thank you for caring about Gon.” She returned to washing the dishes, but not before swinging a heavy arm around him and giving a quick squeeze that left him blushing.  
“Uh, do you need any help with the dish?” He offered, knowing she’d refuse as she always does. Instead, she sent him upstairs to pack his overnight bag.  
This was how Killua found himself awake at 7am, stuffing eggs and rice into his mouth as Gotoh and Canary drove him to the next county over and to Gon’s house. The drive was only three hours, but Killua’s mother had refused to let him make the drive since he was a new driver. It was a miracle that his parents had let him see Gon at all, so he didn’t complain too much about being driven by the butlers. They agreed to let him spend the night every weekend if he kept his grades up which he did regardless. Good grades meant college and college meant getting the fuck out of this city. His phone pinged, dragging him from his thoughts.  
The text message from Canary read: scarfing down ur food won’t get us there any faster, yk?  
He let out a dark chuckle, looking to meet her eyes in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were trained on the road, but her eyes crinkled lightly as she attempted to suppress a smile. How she was able to send text messages without Gotoh noticing, he would never know. Killua yawned, tears pricking the corner of his eyes, but he refused to nap. Napping would mean messing up his outfit that he’d so carefully laid out the night before, so he sat up straight and watched the trees pass by in the blur as they made their way to Gon’s house.

* * *

  
The next thing Killua knew, Canary was gently calling his name. “We’re here,” she whispered, looking back at him from her seat in the front. _Dammit_ , he thought. He’d tried his best to stay awake. He was totally disoriented, blinking at the bright light filtering into the car. His frustration quickly turned to nerves when he looked at the familiar red door, acutely aware that this was the only thing separating him from his boyfriend. He shot up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and attempting to tame hopelessly wild hair. The white tufts simply rose to their normal height, refusing his useless grooming. Canary bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at her friend. She knew a thing or two about hair that refused gravity. Gotoh began to give his usual spiel that Killua tuned out, trying to calm his nerves. It had been a while since he and Gon had gone this long without seeing each other, but this was his best friend, right? Why was he so nervous? They’d seen each other naked before for christ’s sake.  
“Mr. Zoldyck, are you listening? We’ll be here to pick you up at 7pm on Sunday,” Canary spoke, cutting through the fog of his thoughts.  
“Right, uh-huh.” He responded, tucking his overnight bag onto his shoulder. “See you later,” he called over his shoulder. His body moved on autopilot, slamming his door before he trudged up the steps of the porch. He stilled, dragging in a deep breath to try to soothe his hammering heart. He didn’t even get the chance to knock before the red door swung open, and he was presented with his boyfriend’s ridiculously wide grin.  
“Killua!” Gon hollered, bright, honey colored eyes shining up at him. Killua braced himself for Gon’s sweeping hug, accustomed to his brashness. He was not, however, prepared for his feet to leave the ground.  
“G-Gon!” He snapped, face burning as he looked back at the black car still parked in the driveway. He could make out Canary’s shit-eating grin through the window. “Put me down, dummy!”  
“Aww, but I missed you, Killua,” Gon complained, arms tightening around Killua’s waist. Killua's face was impossibly red. Gon had to lean back slightly in order to lift Killua who was undoubtedly taller than him. Killua felt his ears grow hot. For a moment, they just stared at each other, drinking in each other’s presence. Gon was still Gon, square jaw, tanned skin, heavy dimple set into his cheek. Killua couldn’t help but take notice of the new bags under his boyfriend’s eyes or his chapped, bitten lips.  
“Gon, put that boy down,” Mito scolded playfully from the entrance of the house. “I want a hug, too.”  
“Right,” Gon said, pouting like having to put Killua down would make the boy disappear. Killua let himself be pulled into one of Mito’s amazing hugs. It felt like what Killua supposed a mom hug might be like.  
“It was quiet without you around,” Mito said, pulling away from the embrace. Killua snorted at that.  
“Quiet?” Gon and Mito were the opposite of quiet. Sometimes they’d tell stories about their days on Whale island, talking over each other loudly and switching back and forth between their native tongue and English. They’d speake, unrestrained and though most of the time Killua was lost, he’d let out a laugh of his own, wrapped up in their bright smiles and infectious cackling.  
“Yes, too quiet! And you know normally I’d feed you when you arrive, but I have an appointment to get to and I’m pretty sure Gon is-“  
“Mito!” Gon whined, “Don’t spoil the surprise!  
“Okay, okay,” Mito soothed, “Here, give me that.” Mito took Killua’s overnight bag before he could even react. “You’re going to be late if you don’t get going soon, anyway. You’ve got your key?” Gon nodded, already taking Killua by the hand.  
“Yup! We’ll see you later Mito!” He called, dragging Killua along. Killua waved at Mito, stumbling as his boyfriend led him to the bus stop eagerly. _When had Gotoh and Canary left,_ Killua thought absentmindedly, as he trailed behind Gon.

* * *

  
Thankfully, the bus wasn’t too full when Gon and Killua hopped on. Killua used to hate the bus. He thought it was filthy and the perfect place to get robbed or catch a flu. Yet, Gon had convinced him to give it a try, spouting off some nonsense about how it's better for the environment and whatnot. Unfortunately, Gon could convince Killua to try anything once, but it wound up being okay. He didn’t love it, but he didn’t hate it either. Gon generally navigated people well, avoiding unnecessary fights and always keeping an eye on Killua. He was like that, winning people over easily. He always gave his seat up for other people, and he chatted easily with those around him, keeping one hand tucked onto Killua’s waist or in Killua’s back pocket. At the next stop, a ton of people flooded into the bus, forcing the boys to be almost chest to chest. Killua felt himself arch away from the man behind him but got distracted by Gon’s finger looping onto his belt loop casually. He felt his chest clench at the gesture.  
“So, where are we going, again?” Killua questioned, wondering how long they’d have to be on the bus.  
“It’s a surprise!” Gon responded, looking away as if his face would give away the answer. He turned back to Killua, another goofy grin spread across his face. He smiled so hard, Killua doubted that he could see past his scrunched eyes. Killua rolled his eyes, not bothering to strain his voice against the loud rumbling of the bus. He could feel Gon’s stare when he thought Killua wasn’t looking. They got off shortly in a part of town that Killua was unfamiliar with and trekked through the city in comfortable silence, fingers intertwined tightly despite the increasingly warm sun.  
“I’m so happy to see you,” Gon gushed, craning his neck to look up at Killua. “These three weeks have been so busy. I’m so sorry I’ve been absent, Killua. You must’ve been really lonely, and I’m so terrible at texting. I just really want-“  
“Gon,” Killua interrupted, meeting his boyfriend’s eyes. They were laced with guilt. “Don’t apologize for working hard! You already told me you’d be busy, and I wasn’t lonely,” he scoffed. “I have other friends besides you, ya know.” Gon looked a tiny bit more relieved.  
“Yeah, but you only have one boyfriend, Killua,” he chided.  
“I know, and you’re my favorite boyfriend,” Killua announced, leaning to press a chaste kiss to Gon’s temple. He’d surprised them both with that one. Killua almost never showed public displays of affection, and here he was kissing Gon’s forehead on the sidewalk. Who was he becoming?  
“We’re here!” Gon announced, pulling Killua away from his thoughts. They had stopped in front of a huge animal sanctuary, much to Killua’s confusion.  
“Gon are you sure we can just casually visit a place like this?” Killua asked, peeking at his boyfriend. Gon chuckled at his confused expression.  
“Killua, don't you have any faith in me?” He spoke, buzzing the doorbell of the intercom.  
“Name, please,” came a staticky voice.  
“Gon Freecs,” he spoke into the intercom, his deep voice rumbling from speaking so loudly. The door buzzed loudly, allowing them to enter. The inside was cool and clinical smelling. Gon winced, at the smell of the anesthetic.  
“Gon!” A girl called from the front desk. She had on a ridiculous hat and teal blue hair.  
“Hey Ponzu!” Gon called, walking up to the front desk. “This is my boyfriend, Killua! The one I was telling you about?”  
“Yes, I know,” Ponzu responded with a giggle before turning to Killua. “Gon won’t shut up about you. It’s nice to officially meet you, Killua.” She stuck out a hand that Killua hesitated to shake. Ponzu might’ve heard about him, but he’d never heard of her before. He couldn’t help but notice how she’d looked them both up and down as they’d entered.  
“Nice to meet you,” Killua responded coolly.  
“I wanted to introduce Killua to some of the animals, if that’s cool,” Gon spoke.  
“Of course, you know where to go,” Ponzu responded. “See you guys later.” She called, as Gon led Killua through the hallways. They rounded the corner, stopping in front of a large room with huge windows, colored in privacy stripes. Gon turned around abruptly, facing Killua with a serious face.  
“Okay, I have to warn you before we go in there. Animals are stinky. Also, some of them are pretty old, so don’t be sad if they’re not very friendly,” he said, eyes shining. Killua smiled involuntarily.  
“Gon, you forget that my family breeds ridiculous dogs. I’m not affected by a couple decrepit animals.” Gon’s face fell into an ‘o’ shape.  
“Oh,” he said sheepishly. “I totally forgot.” He turned then, opening the door slowly. Inside, there were large fake habitats and giant glass cases. It was impossible to imagine how long the ceiling to floor length cases took to decorate. Killua’s jaw dropped at the huge turtle sitting calmly next to a small blonde person on the floor. The blonde was slowly feeding the turtle lettuce and strawberries with a calm look on his face.  
“Oh, hey Gon,” said the blonde, not bothering to look up from the massive giant slowly chewing next to him.  
“Hey Pika! This is my boyfriend, Killua!” Killua bit the inside of his cheek. He’d never get tired of hearing Gon call him his boyfriend.  
“Oh, nice to finally meet you,” Pika said, finally looking up. “I would shake your hand, but I highly doubt that you’d like medicated strawberry juice on your hands.” They gave an apologetic smile.  
“This is Kurapika. They work here,” Gon informed him quietly.  
“Uhh, it’s fine. Nice to meet you.” Killua was meeting all sorts of people, today.  
“Would you like to pet Johnathan? He’s pretty nice.” Killua envisioned his finger being snapped off by those powerful jaws and politely declined. He heard Gon giggle next to him.  
“See ya, Pika.” Gon called, coaxing Killua past the giant turtle. He was pretty sure the turtle was larger than Kurapika.  
Gon stopped by one of the huge cases, pointing out animals and talking about the scenery on the inside, how it helped the animals adjust. The constructed habitats were extremely realistic, with live bugs crawling about, much to Killua’s chagrin. He shivered as he watched ants climb up a giant branch.  
“Some of these animals were poached,” he informed Killua. A serious look spread across his face. “People buying exotic animals and then realize they can’t take care of them because they’re meant to be in the wild. Some of them come here injured and unable to survive in the wild anymore.” They went about, exploring the different animals and habitats. Killua had the best time visiting a large, old hawk named Pietro.  
“Wow,” Gon marveled. “He never perched on my arm before! He must really like you, Killua.” Killua grinned proudly. He’d liked Pietro, too. Before the end of their trip, they met a squid named Ikalgo who Killua swore had waved at him.  
“Did you enjoy the sanctuary?” Gon asked as they scrubbed their hands and arms in the sink. Killua had touched more animals today than he had in his whole life, he was pretty sure.  
“Yeah, it was pretty cool, actually. How’d you find out about this place?”  
“Well, I started volunteering here with Kite, about two years ago. Now, everyone here is like family, sort of. They can’t get rid of me. The owner even offered me a job, but I have to get my associate’s degree first.” Multiple things clicked into place at the same time for Killua. After all, he’d been surprised that Gon suddenly wanted to go to college after saying he wouldn’t since freshman year, but he didn’t want to pry. He’d trusted Gon to tell him what’d he’d tell him and Gon did the same for him, no matter how frustrated with Killua’s family he was at times.  
“Wow, Gon, I never knew that,” Killua said, staring at Gon’s profile. They’d known each other for years, but there was still so much to learn. “You know, if you… if you never need help with anything, like math wise or otherwise, I can help.” They both knew Gon was a people person, not a book person. He learned best through conversations and hands-on learning. Yet, he was hard-headed, determined to go after anything he set his mind to. It simultaneously amazed and frightened Killua. Gon beamed at his boyfriend, his face was impossibly bright still, as they made their way out of the sanctuary and into the heat of the day. Gon’s smile attracted Killua like a moth to a flame.  
The rest of the day consisted of hitting up an arcade where Killua and Gon may or may not have gotten into a competition at the basketball station that ended in a ridiculous argument and an even more ridiculous makeup at the slushie machine.  
“Here,” Killua grumbled, shoving the bright blue slushie into Gon’s hand. “I’m sorry I yelled at you in front of the little kids,” he said, still not looking Gon in the eye.  
“I forgive you,” Gon said, planting a sloppy kiss on Killua’s cheeks. Killua’s entire face lit up. When Gon went to the bathroom to empty himself of the neon blue juice inside him, Killua snuck off to the slot machine, promising himself that he’d only go two rounds. He paid for another roll of tokens, and set up his game, a mischievous grin beginning to spread on his face. Five rounds in, Gon caught him.  
“Absolutely not!” Gon said, a weary expression plastered on his face as he dragged Killua away from the machine, complaining. It was dinner time by the time they got done. Killua had bought Gon a green lava lamp with his tickets while Gon had bought him a stuffed cat. They exchanged gifts, laughing at their own creativity.  
For dinner, Gon took Killua to their favorite Italian restaurant, before heading to Netero’s for dessert. The shop cake shop was run by an elderly lesbian couple who absolutely adored Gon.  
“Oh, Gon! Killua! It’s so good to see you boys again. It’s been too long,” Bisky said, pulling them both into a hug. Killua had always been nervous around older women, only having his mother as a reference for how to treat them. Yet, Bisky was incredibly sweet and patient, letting Killua open up on his own time, she and always sent him home with fudge that wasn’t even on the menu. He couldn’t find it in his heart to mistreat her or even maintain his snarky, sarcastic demeanor. They opted to eat their cake in the small cafe so that they could stay and chat with Bisky and Palm. Gon explained why they’d been so absent while Killua shoved heaps of chocolate cake in his mouth. God, he’d missed this. Gon bumped the chocolate fiend’s knee under the table, smiling fondly when their eyes met.  
“You have a bit of chocolate on your face, Killua,” Gon said, leaning impossibly close. He swiped the chocolate frosting with his index finger, lightly grazing the corner of Killua’s mouth. His ears burned hot as Gon popped the same finger in his mouth. Bisky and Palm laughed at Killua’s wordless response. He’d totally forgotten they were in the room! Somehow, that only made him blush harder.  
“You’re lucky you have such a caring partner, Killua,” Palm spoke from behind the counter. While Bisky was easier to get along with, Palm was not. She was often quiet, observing their interactions in a somewhat off-putting manner. She’d never actually done anything, though. It was just a gut feeling.  
“That’s true, a guy like Gon only comes around every once in a blue moon,” Bisky chimed in. Gon beamed at the compliment.  
The night was significantly cooler as they walked home, bags full of leftover pasta and fudge rustling as they made their way down the sidewalk arm in arm. The air was thick with humidity and the smells of summer, the scent of freshly cut grass wafting from somewhere nearby. Killua took a deep breath, enjoying the scent, the sound of the crickets sending a cascade of buzzing into the air. It was mind-numbing and relaxing, especially with the feeling of Gon’s warm arm wrapped around him protectively.  
“I had so much fun today,” Killua spoke into the quietness. It was almost a whisper, as if his voice would break the peaceful scene around them.  
“I’m so happy, Killua. I missed you so much,” Gon said, stopping to look up at his partner. Killua’s fluffy white hair was reflecting the glow of the streetlamp, sending a fuzzy halo around his head. “So much,” he whispered, breaking their hold to tuck a white tuft behind Killua’s ear. His eyes filled with affection. “Could I… kiss you?” Gon whispered. His eyes looked incredibly huge when he looked up to meet Killua’s, innocently shining eyes. Killua opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the sound of a high pitched whine. They both flinched as the sound continued to grow into full-on yelping. Gon scanned the area quickly before he spotted the source of the noise.  
“Oh shoot,” he breathed, before handing his bag to Killua wordlessly. In the darkness, Killua could barely make out the tiny puppy, his leg somehow stuffed in the broken gate separating a house from the sidewalk. The pup whined helplessly, his thin body shaking with the effort of keeping himself up with only three legs. He bristled as Gon crouched down in front of him. Killua fumbled for his phone, turning on the flashlight so that they could get a better look at the tiny thing. Gon sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of the pup’s matted, bloody fur. He’d obviously been there for a while, as the dark dried blood was caked into his fur.  
“Killua, could you hand me a peanut butter cracker from my bag?” Gon asked him in a hushed tone, surveying the damage. He did as Gon requested, keeping his distance. Two strangers approaching a dog at once could overwhelm him. Gon tore open the package, attempting to console the dog, but he wasn’t having it.  
“Well, this is gonna hurt. I’m sorry in advance,” Gon said, his voice painted in worry. Gon went to work, trying to manage an opening wide enough for the pup to pull his leg out. The pup screeched, desperate, broken yelping crying into the night air. Killua clenched his teeth, thinking of the times he’d watch Illumi force the different dogs to breed against their will. The female pups always screeched like that, high pitched and shrill. The pup’s two front legs were desperately trying to pull him away from the fence while simultaneously trying to bite at Gon’s hands. Gon angled his wrist so that he could avoid being full-on bitten. The pup was too small to bite down on his entire sleeved arm. After what seemed like an eternity, Gon managed to untangle the dog from the fence and swept him up before he could run away. The shrill yelping melted into low whining. Finally, Gon turned to meet Killua’s eyes, his own filled with worry and threatening to spill over.  
“Could you call Mito?” He asked.  
Mito agreed to stop by Petco before it would close. It was already getting late, and Gon didn’t think they could make it by foot. Gon cocooned the puppy in his own shirt, carrying the bleeding dog all the way to their house and whispering in soothing tones to the dog in his arms. Killua trailed behind him, carrying their bags and trying to force the look of apprehension off his face. It was just like Gon to bring a stray, potentially rabid dog home. The pup lacked a collar or anything that would indicate he’d had an owner. He sighed as they pushed into the front door. Gon lingered behind, lowering the pup low enough for the dog to sniff at his new surroundings. He didn't dare put him down, however. The dog had a nasty limp. Killua ran the dog a shallow bath in the bathtub, taking care not to make the water too cold or hot. Luckily, Mito arrived shortly after with dog shampoo, treats, puppy pads, and the works.  
“Oh, Gon,” she gasped, looking at the crumpled thing in his arms. They both went upstairs with the shaking puppy to bathe him, leaving Killua to his own devices. Killua, found a box in the recycling bin, and set a puppy pad inside of it along with a blanket Mito had purchased. He could hear the dog’s howl of protest, most likely from having to be bathed or bandaged. They returned to the kitchen just as Killua finished putting the food away.  
“Gon,” Mito snapped, holding the shaking pup in her arms as they trailed down the stairs, “Now, I don’t think I need to tell you how dangerous this was.” She began toweling off the miserable thing in her hands.  
“I know, Mito, but I didn’t want to call the animal catcher. They would’ve put him down,” Gon reasoned. “I had to.” Gon didn’t show an ounce of regret, letting both Killua and Mito know that he had no intention of changing his mind. It was too late now, anyway. She sighed in defeat.  
“Alright, well we’ll have to figure out what to do with him.” Mito cleaned the pup’s wounds with antiseptic and bandaged his leg while Gon attempted to distract him with a spoonful of peanut butter. Killua suddenly felt out of place in the mix of chaos. The initial spike of adrenaline had washed away, leaving him feeling weighted and tired. He failed to suppress a yawn.  
“Ah, I’m sorry Killua,” Gon spoke. “I cleaned the tub after Patches’s bath if you want to bathe.” A shower sounded nice. _Patches? Damn, he moves quick_ , Killua thought to himself.  
“Uh, thank you” he mumbled. “I’ve been here enough times to know where everything is.”

* * *

  
The shower managed to wake Killua up a bit more and clear his head. He changed quickly and padded downstairs to find Gon and Mito sitting with the dog— Patches.  
“I can schedule an appointment for Monday,” she spoke, eyes trained on the laptop in her lap. “The moment he bites, he’s out of here, Gon,” she warned.  
“He won’t,” Gon retorted confidently. He went back to his cooing at the puppy in his lap.  
“ _And_ ,” she added, “I would really like to keep my carpets doggy pee free. So, you’re gonna have to potty train him as soon as possible.”  
“Yes, ma’am,” he spoke to the dog rather than Mito. Patches yawned in his lap. Mito finally noticed Killua hovering in the hallway  
“Killua, come join your reckless boyfriend on the couch. I’m going to take a shower,” she stated, closing her laptop. “Don’t stay up too late, boys. He sleeps in your room, Gon!” She called behind her.  
“Hey,” Killua said, taking a seat on the couch next to Gon. He noticed Patches bristle at his presence before curling into Gon’s stomach.  
“Hey, there,” Gon said, looking up at his boyfriend. “Sorry if we scared you back there. You had a funny look on your face.”  
“Hm, you didn’t scare me,” Killua hummed. “I just thought of Illumi for a minute.” Gon stiffened a bit; he absolutely hated Illumi.  
“Do you wanna talk about it?”  
“Maybe later,” Killua offered. “Introduce me to your new friend.” Killua offered Patches his knuckle, but Patches sniffed disinterestedly before barreling himself into Gon’s stomach once again. Gon chuckled at this. _Fine_ , Killua thought to himself. He and animals rarely clicked. They either loved or hated him. Patches simply seemed disinterested in anything other than Gon’s gentle knuckles rubbing against his fur. He continued his petting, whispering sweetly at the puppy in his lap with a smile that he usually reserves for Killua, only.  
“Thanks for making him a little box,” Gon offered. Killua shrugged as if to say, “Meh,” stifling another yawn. “You must be tired. Do you wanna go upstairs? I can join you after my shower.” It was rapidly approaching 12am and Killua had been up for well over 12 hours.  
“What are you gonna do with Patches?” Killua asked, absentmindedly.  
“Put him in his box, I guess.” Gon said with a shrug. Yet, when he attempted to put the dog in the box, Patches howled bloody murder.  
“Gon!!!” Mito chastised from upstairs.  
“Welp, I guess he's coming to the bathroom with me.”  
They both retreated up the stairs, shutting down the house as they went along. Just as Gon had said, he took Patches with him to the restroom. They both emerged into the room later, only a towel wrapped about Gon’s waist while Patches sat in a blanket in Gon’s arms. Gratefully, the pup wasn’t wet; Killua hated the smell of wet dog. He turned over, attempting to give Gon privacy while he dressed and prepared for bed. Killua hadn’t even bothered to take out the futon like they normally did; a formality to simply appease Mito. He always wound up in Gon’s bed anyway, even though it certainly was not made for two huge teenage boys. Gon couldn’t get Patches to stay in the box without whining until the dog literally passed out from exhaustion. Finally, Gon climbed into bed, scooting impossibly close to Killua before wrapping a freckled arm around his middle and pulling Killua from his sleepy, hazy state. Killua nuzzled into Gon’s freshly washed hair, taking in the scent of green tea and Gon’s pine deodorant. Gon smelled him, too, unabashedly. He’d told Killua a million times how much he loved the way he smelled. Killua didn't even bother putting on cologne anymore, knowing that it burned Gon's sensitive nose.  
“Sorry we kept you up,” Gon mumbled into Killua’s collarbone, tracing soothing circles into Killua’s back.  
“Mm, whatever,” Killua hummed, the gentle touches already lulling him into the depths of sleep. He felt Gon’s chuckle rumble deep in his chest, felt a chaste kiss fall onto his neck.  
“I love you,” Gon whispered to the sleeping boy next to him.

* * *

  
Killua groaned, turning his face into the cool pillow and pulling the covers over his bed.  
“Gon, you forgot to close the blinds,” he rasped, hand dragging lazily through the sheets to give Gon a good flick. It wasn’t until he reached the end of the bed that he realized that he was alone in Gon’s bed. His head shot up disorientingly, and he slowly untangled himself from the sheets to sit up straight. Killua searched for his phone through squinting blue eyes, trying to get adjusted to the brightness of Gon’s room. He checked his phone which read 11:32. “SHIT,” he grumbled. It was already so late in the day. He padded downstairs, going solely off of muscle memory. The smell of pancakes made it easier to tell where to go.  
“Killuaaaa, you’re awake,” Gon called. _This much cheeriness in the morning should be illegal,_ Killua thought. He grumbled out some incomprehensible phrases akin to good morning before letting Gon place a kiss on his forehead. When had he sat down?  
“Slow to wake as usual, Killua?” Abe said, her crinkled eyes shining with laughter. Abe held a sleeping Patches in her lap. Gon placed tea in front of him, much to Killua’s chagrin. He longed for a sugary coffee that Canary always brought him, but Gon insisted that too much sugar in the morning was bad for him or something. Whatever. He sipped the tea, soothing his dry throat. After a while, his eyes began to open a bit more and he finally took the time to notice Gon’s ridiculous appearance. Everything looked normal except Gon was wearing Mito’s apron which was much to small for him and didn’t even cover his entire torso. He was also sporting a bit of flour on his cheek. He choked on his tea; this was entirely too domestic for him to handle.  
“Gon,” he said coughing, “Why are you wearing that?” Abe laughed at his disgruntled response: a deep, rumbling laugh that woke up the sleeping dog on her lap.  
“What, you don’t think it’s cute, Killua?” Gon asked, a pout forming on his bottom lip. This only made Abe laugh harder. Killua looked away, flustered. Was Gon expecting the guy to call him cute in front of his grandma? The scrape of Abe’s chair against the linoleum cut the somewhat awkward tension.  
“Killua, take the baby for me, would you?” She asked, standing up impossibly slow.  
“S-sure.” Killua was grateful for something to do. Patches protested as he was handed off to Killua, wiggling in his grasp. “Hey, be still you mutt,” he snapped as Patches’s tiny claws scraped at his skin. He quickly stood up, dropping Patches off into his box.  
“Aww, Killua! Don’t be mean to Patches. He’s just shy,” Gon defended, his back to Killua as he flipped chocolate chip pancakes.  
“Whatever. He most definitely deserved it,” Killua grumbled. It was hard to take him seriously with his fluffy hair sticking every which way, but Gon suppressed the urge to laugh. Instead, he crossed the kitchen floor, wrapping both arms around Killua’s middle.  
“You really don’t think I’m cute?” Gon asked, looking up at Killua’s face. Killua rolled his eyes before returning the embrace with a huff.  
“I suppose” so he muttered. Gon grabbed his neck, suddenly, pulling him down to press a kiss to Killua’s lips. Killua released the tension in his shoulders unconsciously.  
“Sorry,” Gon muttered against his lips. “I’ve been wanting to do that all morning. You look so cute when you’re sleepy,” he tacked on. Killua’s ears flashed hot.

“You’re impossible, you know that?” Killua responded before kissing his boyfriend back and burying his face into his broad shoulder. They stood like that, enjoying each other’s company in the quietness that consumed the house. And, well, the bacon burned.

* * *

  
Mito was out again, so Gon and Killua sat on the carpet in the living room so that they could watch a film while they ate breakfast. Of course, they bickered over which movie to watch and whether they should take the couch or the floor to be closer to Patches. In the end, Killua agreed to sit on the floor if he got to pick the movie. Killua loaded his chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream, ignoring the look he got from Gon. Gon was the athlete, not him.  
“I was gonna ask if you’d wanted to go on a run after this, but I think I know the answer,” he said between bites of egg.  
“You knof me sho well,” Killua responded, cheeks filled with chocolate pancakes. “Feese arf sho good,” he moaned. Behind him, a lady screamed as she was tackled to the ground by a hairy demonic creature.  
“You say that every time, Killua,” Gon said laughing at Killua’s stuffed cheeks. “You don’t want to go, even if I race you?” Killua perked up at the idea.  
“You’re on Freecs!” The movie went on ignored in the background as the argued back and forth about their race that never came to fruition because Patches refused to be put down. Instead, they opted to watch something a little less disturbing, lounging on the couch lazily. Whenever Killua even attempted to lean on Gon or even touch the guy, Patches barked loudly, bristling at boy. Killua made a face at the puppy while Gon laughed at their antics. _Stupid dog, stealing my seat_ , Killua thought. Was he really jealous of a little mutt? He peeked over at Gon who was happily sharing butterfly kisses with Patches, oblivious to Killua’s stares. Killua clenched his jaw, returning to the movie but completely distracted. On Killua’s fourth attempt to make contact, he decided enough was enough. He hadn’t seen Gon in three weeks, and now, he was giving all his attention to this _dog_.  
“Gon!” Killua snapped but promptly shut his mouth. He hadn’t thought of what to say! He swallowed, trying to think of something that didn't sound like _"Pay attention to me"._ Gon looked up, confusion pulling at his features. The silence that followed drowned out even the sound of the movie.  
“I-”  
“Do you want to cuddle, Killu-”  
“Yes,” Killua answered before Gon could even get the words out. Gon’s laughter burst forth.  
“Is that why you’ve been looking so grumpy for the past twenty minutes?” Killua huffed in embarrassment. He wanted to put up a fight, but it was a losing battle. Gon knew him like the back of his hand. Instead, he opted to remain silent. “Here,” Gon said, scooting closer to Killua’s side of the couch. He gingerly brought Killua’s hand forward, encouraging Patches to sniff it. The dog attempted to bury his face in Gon’s sweater, but Gon’s hands kept him gently in place. The dog bristled again, looking at Killua’s hand like it was the enemy before Gon placed his own broad palm of Killua’s fingers. He laced them slightly before bringing them to rest in front of Patches’s snout. Patches let out a whine, nipping at their fingers. “Patches,” Gon began, “If you want me, you gotta have Killua, too. We’re a package deal.”  
Killua’s face was dusted in pink. Patches whined again, this time licking Killua’s finger. He fought the urge to flinch at the wet feeling on his fingers. Gon let go of his hand, encouraging him to pet Patches. Killlua moved his hand slowly to Patches’s fur and let it rest there before scratching the pup behind the ear. “See, he’s nice.” He couldn’t tell if Gon was talking to him or Patches. Finally, Killua relaxed, letting Gon wrap an arm around him. He tilted his head to rest on Gon’s spiky hair and practically melted into Gon’s side. They sat, enjoying the colorful movie while Patches nibbled on Gon’s fingers. Killua thought to himself that maybe the little mutt wasn’t so bad, after all.


End file.
